The invention relates to a method of filtering fluids. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, the invention relates to a method and apparatus to cause filtering and fluidized bed reaction to occur in the same vessel.
While water is composed of two hydrogen atoms bonded to an oxygen atom (H2O), other elements are many times found associated with a batch of water such as the divalent cations of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg). When these minerals are present in the water, the water is often referred to as being hard. In order to make the water more desirable for consumption and use, the hard water is softened, as is understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to be removing of the ions of Ca and Mg from the water. In addition to minerals such as Ca and Mg, a batch of water may contain hazardous compounds which are undesirable for consumption, indigestion and/or synthesis by animal and plant life.
Many prior art methods have been devised in order to treat water solutions. One popular technique is to utilize a media bed through which continuously flows the water to be treated. A chemical is continuously added to the water to be treated. The chemical is chosen that will react with the impurities already dissolved in the water and cause a reaction to occur with the media.
Prior art methods include utilizing a separate vessel with a filter bed disposed therein in order to filter the water of the precipitants and any further impurities. By the use of a separate filtering vessel, the process becomes time consuming. Also, the amount of equipment and space required with the prior art methods is significant. Moreover, the prior art methods prove to be costly due to the extra amount of equipment, space and time required.
Thus, there is a need for a method and device to cause filtering and fluidized bed reaction to occur in a single vessel thereby eliminating time, space and providing for a more cost effective process. There is also a need to provide for a method of treating water solutions that will effectively remove undesirable minerals and hazardous compounds.